Search

Aims: To report the experience of coronal dental caries in the Australian adult population.Methods: Dentate people aged 15 years and over were online or telephone interviewed, and dental examined (n = 5022). The number of decay, missing and filled surfaces (DMFS) were recorded. Independent variables were demographic, socioeconomic conditions and dental care characteristics. Proportions of DMFS >0, average DMFS and its components were calculated.Results: Overall, 32.1% had decayed surfaces, with a higher proportion found in males (34.7%) and 40% higher in those living in remote areas than in those living in major city and regional areas. The prevalence of decayed surfaces varied from 37.4% (lowest income group) to 25.0% (highest income group). The mean number of decayed surfaces was three times higher in the lowest income group compared to the highest one. Uninsured people had a higher prevalence of decayed surfaces and lower mean of filling surfaces than insured group. Participants with an unfavourable pattern of dental visiting had two times higher prevalence of decay than their counterparts. Overall, three quarters (77.4%) had at least one filling in their permanent dentition. This percentage increased from 61.6% among 15-34 year olds, to 88.0% among those aged 55-74 years.Conclusion: Socioeconomic inequalities in caries experience persist in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to describe the prevalence of different tooth loss outcomes along with the use of dentures and implants among Australians aged 15+ years across socioeconomic and demographic groups. In addition, we performed time trend analyses of tooth loss.Methods: Data from the National Study of Adult Oral Health 2017-18 included gender, age, residential location, household income, Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas, possession of dental insurance and pattern of dental visiting. Outcomes were complete tooth loss, inadequate dentition, average number of missing teeth, denture wearing and implants. We compared our findings with data from previous surveys carried out in 1987-88 and 2004-06.Results: Tooth loss decreased from 14.4% in 1987-88 to 6.4% in 2004-06, and to 4.0% in 2017-18. The proportion of people with lack of functional dentition halved from 20.6% 1987-88 to 10.2% in 2017-18; the average number of teeth lost due for any reason slightly reduced from 2004-06 (6.1) to 2017-18 (5.7). Tooth loss increased with age and was higher among socioeconomically disadvantaged, uninsured and those with unfavourable pattern of dental visiting groups than in their counterparts.Conclusions: An overall improvement in tooth retention was identified over the last decades. However, socioeconomic inequalities persist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The aim of this study was to confirm whether the level of lifetime fluoridation exposure is associated with lower dental caries experience in younger adults (15-46 years). Methods Data of the cohort born between 1960 and 1990 residing outside Australia's capital cities from the 2004−2006 Australian National Survey of Adult Oral Health were analysed. Residential history questionnaires were used to determine the percentage of each person's lifetime exposure to fluoridated water (<50%/50+%). Examiners recorded decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth ( DMFT). Socio-demographic variables, periodontal risk factors, and access to dental care were included in multivariable least-squares regression models. Results In bivariate analysis, the higher level of fluoridation category had significantly lower DMFT (mean 6.01 [ SE = 0.62]) than the lower level of fluoridation group (9.14 [ SE = 0.73] p < 0.01) and lower numbers of filled teeth (4.08 [ SE = 0.43], 7.06 [ SE = 0.62], p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, the higher number of full-time equivalent dentists per 100 000 people was associated with a lower mean number of missing teeth (regression coefficient estimate = -1.75, p = 0.03), and the higher level of water fluoridation with a lower mean DMFT (-2.45, p < 0.01) and mean number of filled teeth (-2.52, p < 0.01). Conclusions The higher level of lifetime fluoridation exposure was associated with substantially lower caries experience in younger rural adults, largely due to a lower number of filled teeth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]